Written Answers Thursday 5 November 2009

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence it has had with the Organising Committee of the 2014 Commonwealth Games regarding the decision to cancel the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government announced its decision not to proceed with the Glasgow Airport Rail Link to the Scottish Parliament, in the first instance, on 17 September 2009 as part of the 2010-11 Budget proposals. The Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee was advised on the same day. The Scottish Government is working closely with the organising committee and the other games partners to ensure that effective transport planning for the games is in place.

Agriculture

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in supporting young farmers and helping new entrants to farming.

Richard Lochhead: We continue to develop and improve the support available to new and young farmers in Scotland. For example, I propose to supplement the existing interest rate relief available to new young entrants under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) with a new establishment grant of up to £20,546. A wide range of other support is also available, both within the SRDP and through other initiatives, often at enhanced rates for young farmers.

Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent issuing antisocial behaviour orders to under 16-year-olds under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government allocated almost £7 million to local authorities between 2004-05 and 2007-08 for expenditure on programmes to support under 16-year-olds being considered for or subject to antisocial behaviour orders. This is broken down by year and local authority area in the following table. During this period 14 antisocial behaviour orders were issued to under 16-year-olds.

  The report Dealing with offending by young people – a performance update which was prepared by Audit Scotland for the Auditor General for Scotland and published in August 2007, highlights concerns about the effectiveness and value for money of antisocial behaviour orders for under 16-year-olds.

  

 Local Authority
2004-05  £
2005-06 £
2006-07 £
2007-08 £


 Aberdeen City
 -
 68,000
 64,000
 64,000


 Aberdeenshire
 22,000
 49,000
 48,000
 48,000


 Angus
 16,000
 34,000
 34,000
 34,000


 Argyll and Bute
 12,000
 27,000
 26,000
 26,000


 Clackmannanshire
 11,000
 21,000
 23,000
 23,000


 Dumfries and Galloway
 21,000
 45,000
 43,000
 43,000


 Dundee City
 41,000
 80,000
 74,000
 74,000


 East Ayrshire
 26,000
 52,000
 52,000
 52,000


 East Dunbartonshire
 11,000
 25,000
 24,000
 24,000


 East Lothian
 14,000
 30,000
 29,000
 29,000


 East Renfrewshire
 11,000
 22,000
 22,000
 22,000


 City of Edinburgh
 79,000
 162,000
 146,000
 146,000


 Eilean Siar
 4,000
 9,000
 9,000
 9,000


 Falkirk
 27,000
 55,000
 55,000
 55,000


 Fife
 64,000
 130,000
 129,000
 129,000


 Glasgow City
 202,000
 384,000
 384,000
 384,000


 Highland
 31,000
 65,000
 66,000
 66,000


 Inverclyde
 21,000
 42,000
 43,000
 43,000


 Midlothian
 15,000
 30,000
 32,000
 32,000


 Moray
 11,000
 24,000
 22,000
 22,000


 North Ayrshire
 33,000
 65,000
 69,000
 69,000


 North Lanarkshire
 72,000
 140,000
 154,000
 154,000


 Orkney
 4,000
 4,000
 7,000
 7,000


 Perth and Kinross
 17,000
 38,000
 36,000
 36,000


 Renfrewshire
 38,000
 75,000
 74,000
 74,000


 Scottish Borders
 13,000
 29,000
 27,000
 27,000


 Shetland
 4,000
 4,000
 8,000
 8,000


 South Ayrshire
 18,000
 37,000
 37,000
 37,000


 South Lanarkshire
 55,000
 111,000
 118,000
 118,000


 Stirling
 14,000
 29,000
 27,000
 27,000


 West Dunbartonshire
 28,000
 53,000
 52,000
 52,000


 West Lothian
 31,000
 61,000
 66,000
 66,000

Apprenticeships

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 7,800 modern apprenticeships announced in the 2009-10 budget were allocated to Dumfries and Galloway.

Fiona Hyslop: Of the additional 7,800 modern apprenticeship places 184 were allocated to Dumfries and Galloway.

  The table below breaks down, by level and age, the 184 additional places allocated to Dumfries and Galloway:

  

 Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 16 to 19
 Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 16 to 19
 Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 20+
 Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 20+


 15
 7
 36
 126

Apprenticeships

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown is for the 7,800 modern apprenticeships announced in the 2009-10 budget allocated to Dumfries and Galloway by (a) sector and (b) age band.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table provides the breakdown of additional apprenticeship places for Dumfries and Galloway by sector and age:

  

 Sector
Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 16-19
Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 16-19
Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 20+
Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 20+
 Total


 Automotive 
 9
 
 6
 8
 23


 Construction
 
 
 
 6
 6


 Engineering
 
 2
 
 2
 4


 Food and Drink
 1
 
 19
 
 20


 Hospitality
 
 
 1
 10
 11


 Management
 
 
 
 25
 25


 Retail
 5
 5
 5
 
 15


 Sport, Health and Social Care
 
 
 5
 45
 50


 Transport and Logistics
 
 
 
 30
 30


 Total
 15
 7
 36
 126
 184

Apprenticeships

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown is for all modern apprenticeship posts allocated to Dumfries and Galloway for 2009-10 by (a) sector and (b) age band.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table provides the breakdown of the total number of apprenticeship places for Dumfries and Galloway for 2009-10 by sector and age:

  

 Sector
 Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 16-19
 Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 16-19
 Modern Apprenticeship level 2, 20+
 Modern Apprenticeship level 3, 20+
 Total


 Administration
 
 56
 
 
 56


 Animal Care, Land and Water Based
 
 11
 
 
 11


 Automotive 
 4
 27
 2
 13
 46


 Construction
 5
 86
 2
 29
 122


 Engineering
 
 21
 
 12
 33


 Food and Drink
 9
 
 23
 
 32


 Hospitality
 1
 11
 1
 20
 33


 Management
 
 10
 
 25
 35


 Personal, other Services and media
 2
 6
 
 
 8


 Retail and Customer Service
 5
 30
 5
 
 40


 Sport, Health and Social Care
 
 39
 5
 45
 89


 Transport and Logistics
 
 20
 
 30
 50


 Total
 26
 317
 38
 174
 555

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences it issued for the control of ravens in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) number of ravens covered by each licence.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ravens were killed under licences issued by it in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by local authority area.

Roseanna Cunningham: Licences for the control of ravens have been issued during the period in question only for the purpose of preventing damage to livestock. Licences are normally limited so as to apply to the calving and lambing season. The following table shows numbers for calendar years on the basis that very few raven licences are issued in the second half of the calendar year; the few licences issued in that period will generally relate to the lambing or calving season for the following year and are accordingly included in the numbers for that year.

  Raven Licenses 2005

  

 Local Authority
 No. Licences Issued
 Bag Limits of Licenses
 No. of Ravens Shot


 Argyll and Bute Council
 39
 191
 144


 Eilean Siar
 9
 78
 66


 Highland Council
 4
 10
 4


 Total
 52
 279
 214



  Raven Licenses 2006

  

 Local Authority
 No. Licences Issued
 Bag Limits of Licenses
 No. of Ravens Shot


 Argyll and Bute Council
 42
 197
 145


 Eilean Siar
 11
 84
 71


 Highland Council
 5
 29
 6


 Total
 58
 310
 222



  Raven Licenses 2007

  

 Local Authority
 No. Licences Issued
 Bag Limits of Licenses
 No. of Ravens Shot


 Argyll and Bute Council
 52
 271
 206


 Eilean Siar
 6
 65
 57


 Highland Council
 4
 26
 2


 Total
 62
 362
 265



  Raven Licenses 2008

  

 Local Authority
 No. Licences Issued
 Bag Limits of Licenses
 No. of Ravens Shot


 Argyll and Bute Council
 51
 350
 284


 Eilean Siar
 1
 20
 20


 Highland Council
 18
 65
 35


 North Ayrshire Council
 11
 55
 48


 Perth and Kinross Council
 3
 10
 4


 Total
 84
 500
 391



  Raven Licenses 2009*

  

 Local Authority
 No. Licences Issued
 Bag Limits of Licenses
 No. of Ravens Shot


 Angus Council
 2
 6
 3


 Argyll and Bute Council
 44
 276
 120


 Eilean Siar
 10
 143
 104


 Highland Council
 27
 82
 26


 Moray Council
 2
 14
 6


 North Ayrshire Council
 10
 42
 11


 Orkney Islands Council
 1
 2
 1


 Perth and Kinross Council
 6
 30
 10


 Stirling Council
 6
 14
 3


 Total
 108
 609
 284



  Note *Some licenses issued in 2009 covered a two year period and remain valid until 2010.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences were issued by Scottish Natural Heritage for the control of ravens in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) number of ravens covered by each licence.

Roseanna Cunningham: None.

Birds

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ravens were killed under licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in each six month period from 1 January 2005 to 30 June 2009, broken down by local authority area.

Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26954 on 18 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Cancer

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27718 by Nicola Sturgeon on 5 October 2009, for what reason data on the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals are not available through the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database (HMUD) within National Services Scotland is to be a Scotland-wide repository of high-level information on medicines use in hospitals. HMUD is currently focussing on developing key priority areas such as antimicrobial prescribing and cancer drugs but rollout of HMUD encompassing all therapeutic areas will be implemented by 2010.

Climate Change

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive who will comprise its delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Stewart Stevenson: The UK Government turned down the requests of Scottish ministers to be part of the official UK delegation to Copenhagen. One place for an official on the UK delegation has been offered which will be taken by the Deputy Director for Climate Change and Greener Scotland.

  As Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, I plan to attend the conference in Copenhagen. While there, I shall host a Scottish event on 14 December and participate in a number of side events including one arranged by The Climate Group on the role of States and Regions. In addition to one Scottish Government official forming part of the UK delegation, I shall be accompanied by seven officials.

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27011 by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009, how its policy on carbon capture readiness contributes to the target of 42% emissions reductions by 2020, as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Delivery Plan describes four transformational changes needed by 2030 to ensure that Scotland is on the path to meeting its 2050 target of an 80% reduction in emissions (compared to 1990). One of these transformational outcomes is the almost complete decarbonisation of electricity generation. We are clear in our vision that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology will be a vital element of a decarbonised power sector in 2030, providing secure back-up generation for the renewables that will provide the majority of Scotland’s electricity.

  The Delivery Plan therefore sets the expectation that Scotland will have a working demonstration plant by 2015, and a fully operational, commercial CCS plant by 2020. This will make a limited impact on total Scottish emissions in 2020, with the real reductions taking place between 2020 and 2030. By 2030, we expect that all remaining fossil fuel power stations will have to use CCS. The current position on Carbon Capture Readiness is the first step in ensuring that we make progress on the decarbonisation path and the introduction of CCS technology.

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27005 by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009, whether the target of 42% emissions reductions by 2020, as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and compared with 34% across the rest of the United Kingdom, is part of its considerations in finalising its thermal generation guidance.

Jim Mather: Thermal generation guidance for Scotland will be influenced by both the targets set by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) which sets a legally binding framework for emissions reductions across the EU for large emitters such as energy generators.

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27005 by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009, in what way it expects its thermal generation guidance to contribute to meeting the target of 42% emissions reductions by 2020, as set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, and whether that guidance will include elements specific to Scotland, reflecting its different emissions reduction target from that of the rest of the United Kingdom.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government’s thermal generation guidance will set out the policy on the development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for both new and existing thermal power plants in Scotland. CCS is one of the low carbon emitting technologies that will be required in order to achieve the targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. Development of CCS will contribute to some emission reductions in 2020 and put Scotland on the right path to decarbonisation of electricity generation by 2030.

Climate Change

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the requirements for carbon capture and storage technology to be fitted to any new thermal power station in Scotland will be the same as the requirements set by the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government will issue its final thermal guidance following the completion of the UK consultation process. This thermal guidance will set out policy on the introduction of CCS technology to new and existing power plants in Scotland, and will take into account Scottish interests in terms of timing and capacity.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have received direct payments for community care in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Shona Robison: This information is published in Self-directed Support (Direct Payments), Scotland, 2008 . This can be accessed by the following link:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/10/27092036/6.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to figures for charges proved for handling an offensive weapon in Tables 6(a) and 6(b) of Criminal Proceedings In Scottish Courts, 2007/08, what the age of the offender was at the time of the offence, broken down by sex.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Convicted of Handling an Offensive Weapon1 by Sex, 2007-08

  

 Age2
 Males
 Females


 15
 6
 0


 16-21 
 1,115
 46


 21-30 
 1,221
 78


 Over 30 
 870
 82


 Total 
 3,212
 206



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. At date of sentence.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 29, (c) 30 to 49 and (d) 50 and over have been diagnosed with permanent tinnitus in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of people who have been diagnosed with permanent tinnitus is not available.

  However, we can provide estimates for Scotland of the number of patients consulting at general practices for tinnitus symptoms. It is not possible to say whether these symptoms are permanent, and people with longer term symptoms may not necessarily have consulted their GP recently.

  The estimates given in the table are based on PTI (Practice Team Information) data, which are obtained from a representative sample of Scottish general practices. Figures show the estimated number of patients who have seen a GP or practice-employed nurse for tinnitus symptoms during each year. The PTI does not provide estimates for individual NHS boards.

  Estimated number of patients (with 95% confidence intervals) who have consulted a GP practice at least once in the year for tinnitus symptoms, by age group: Scotland, financial year 2003-04 to 2007-08

  

 Age Group
 Year


 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Under 18
 92
 264
 388
 84
 123


 Confidence Interval*
 (32-151)
 (42-487)
 (163-613)
 (8-159)
 (0-280)


 18 - 29 years
 723
 706
 689
 745
 536


 Confidence Interval*
 (455-990)
 (131-1,281)
 (508-870)
 (398-1,092)
 (342-731)


 30 - 49 years
 2,831
 2,494
 2,788
 2,873
 3,680


 Confidence Interval*
 (2,063-3,600)
 (1,985-3,002)
 (2,214-3,362)
 (2,351-3,396)
 (1,856-5,504)


 50 years & over
 6,845
 7,562
 6,858
 6,540
 6,232


 Confidence Interval*
 (5,890-7,800)
 (5,096-10,028)
 (5,681-8,035)
 (5,618-7,462)
 (5,280-7,183)


 All ages
 10,535
 10,953
 10,682
 10,392
 10,709


 Confidence Interval*
 (9,181-11,888)
 (8,479-13,428)
 (9,260-12,104)
 (9,234-11,550)
 (8,464-12,954)



  Source: ISD Scotland, Practice Team Information.

  Note: *As the estimates are based on data from a sample of practices, 95% confidence intervals are included to indicate the accuracy of these estimates. For further information see www.isdscotland.org/isd/3729.html.

Domestic Abuse

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the names of refuge centres for abused women in each local authority.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government will not list this information. Scottish Women’s Aid publish on their website a full list of women’s aid groups which includes both affiliated and unaffiliated organisations. Refuges themselves are not publicised for the safety of women and children using these services.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults are assessed as functionally illiterate and what this figure was (a) 10 and (b) 20 years ago.

Fiona Hyslop: Evidence from the 1996 International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) suggested that around 800,000 (23%) working age adults in Scotland have low levels of literacy. The Scottish Government has set in hand a further wide ranging survey to update these findings. The results will be available in spring 2010. Currently, the Scotland Performs website measures literacy and numeracy through the use of a proxy indicator. That indicator has shown a steady decrease in the percentage of adults with SCQF Level 4 qualifications or below, to 15% in 2008.

Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions its officials have had since May 2007 with officials in the (a) Department of Trade and Industry, (b) Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (c) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about funds in Ofgem’s Fossil Fuel Levy account.

Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27997 on 4 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Enterprise

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the rate of closures of businesses operated by disabled people as opposed to that of businesses overall.

Jim Mather: Official statistics on business closures, derived from VAT/PAYE de-registrations data, are released annually by the Office for National Statistics.

  The VAT/PAYE de-registrations data cannot specifically distinguish businesses operated by disabled people. Therefore rates of closures of businesses operated by disabled people, as opposed to that of business overall, are not available.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what communications its Energy Consents Unit has had with Ayrshire Power regarding the requirements for carbon capture and storage technology to be fitted to the proposed multi-fuel power station at Hunterston.

Jim Mather: Ayrshire Power Ltd formally requested a scoping opinion on their outline design for the Hunterston plant from the Scottish Government. This was issued on 20 March 2009 and published on the Scottish Government Energy Consents webpages. Scottish Government officials have also met on a number of occasions with Ayrshire Power Ltd to discuss issues relating to the proposed project and have drawn their attention to the answer to question S3W-24912 on 17 June 2009. This is in line with normal procedures with proposals of this kind.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Equalities

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will name the research projects on equality issues undertaken jointly by it and the Economic and Social Research Council during the period 2007 to 2009.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government undertakes joint funded PhD schemes with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The Internship scheme enables second or third year ESRC PhD students to work in the Scottish Government on short three-month placements. The PhD scheme enables the Scottish Government and ESRC to joint fund PhDs on areas of common interest. The Scottish Government has participated in 10 such projects on equality issues between 2007 and 2009, as outlined below:

  No relevant research projects were undertaken in 2007.

  The following three-month internships took place in 2008 and 2009:

  1. Independent living literature review, from February to May 2008.

  2. Review of evidence on the experiences of domestic violence, from May to August 2008.

  3. Review of the evidence on Islamophobia in Scotland, from July to October 2008.

  4. Review of the evidence on the attitudes of people in Scotland to children of LGBT parents, September to November 2008.

  5. Evidence review for British Sign Language as a curriculum subject at school, from April to July 2009.

  6. Experiences of being transgender in Scotland, from July to October 2009.

  7. Occupational segregation (OS): study exploring how deeply OS is ingrained in public attitudes from September to December 2009.

  The following three PhDs are being jointly funded by the Scottish Government and the Economic and Social Research Council:

  1. "Transgender people’s experiences of Health and Social Care Service Provision in Scotland" is being undertaken at the University of Edinburgh from September 2009 until September 2013.

  2. "Muslim Women in Scotland: global events, national issues, local lives Institution" is being undertaken at Newcastle University from September 2008 until September 2011.

  3. "Muslim women’s experiences of extended family violence in Scotland" is being undertaken at the University of Edinburgh from September 2008 until September 2012.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify the proposals in the UK Government white paper, Reforming financial markets , that it supports.

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will identify the proposals in the UK Government white paper, Reforming financial markets , that it does not support.

Jim Mather: Scottish Government officials are working closely with HM Treasury officials in considering which proposals are to be implemented in Scotland.

Fire Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the comments of Ken Ross of the Fire Brigades Union to the Justice Committee on 6 October 2009 that the effect of removing ring fencing for the fire service has led to the fire service having to "horse trade with other services to get the necessary funding, which is compromising the security of front-line services" ( Official Report c. 2286).

Fergus Ewing: The fire service currently receives over £300 million per year to meet its revenue obligations, as set out in the Fire Scotland Act 2005 - core responsibilities being to extinguish fire, free casualties from road traffic collisions and educate the public about fire safety. Additional annual capital grant of just under £25 million is also made available for the purchase of related assets.

  In real terms, revenue funding for Scotland’s eight fire and rescue services has increased by 12% over the last three years, while capital funding has increased by 58% over the last ten years.

  It is clear that the removal of ring fencing has provided local government with additional flexibilities and removed significant bureaucracy. But we remain open to discussing alternative approaches with our partners, where these bring clear benefits to the frontline services delivered in our communities.

Forth Crossing

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason NPD funding was considered unsuitable for the Forth Replacement Crossing project.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the size of the Forth Replacement Crossing project made it unsuitable for NPD funding.

Stewart Stevenson: Because of the condition of financial markets at the time of selecting the method of procurement of the Forth Replacement Crossing, the Scottish Government considered that conventional procurement provided the most appropriate way of delivering the Forth Replacement Crossing by 2016.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that consumer engagement on GM foods should be organised by a former employee of the GM seed multinational, Syngenta.

Roseanna Cunningham: I am informed by the Food Standards Agency that an independent steering group, which will include stakeholders involved in different areas and with different views of GM, will be established to support and manage the consumer engagement project, and the group will inform and shape the engagement process. The FSA Project Manager will function as one of the associates of that group, but will not be a member.

  The independent steering group will comprise an independent Chair, Professor John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde, and representation from stakeholder groups and social scientists. The FSA Project Manager, together with representatives from the UK Government’s Central Office of Information, Sciencewise Expert Resource Centre, the organisations delivering and evaluating the dialogue work, another Government Department, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council will act as associates of the group.

  Any individual employees of FSA will have been recruited and employed in accordance with the Civil Service Code.

Health

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have had surgical operations following a referral to the adult scoliosis service at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh since 1 April 2009, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: To date, no patients referred specifically to the adult scoliosis service have had an operation. During the first phase of the introduction of the adult scoliosis service, clinical priority has been given to younger adult patients (17 to 20 years). A number of such patients had been referred to the paediatric scoliosis service prior to April 2009. Given the experience and expertise of the staff working in the paediatric service and the need to develop the skills of the staff based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, all operations to date have been performed at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Edinburgh. Between April and September 2009, 11 adult patients (17 to 20 years) have had an operation.

  Table 1: Surgical Operations for Scoliosis in Patients Aged Over 17 Years Since 1 April 2009

  

 NHS Board
 April
 May
 June
 July
 August
 September


 Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Borders
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fife
 
 
 2
 
 
 


 Forth Valley
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Grampian
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 
 
 
 1
 1
 1


 Highlands
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 1
 
 


 Lothian
 
 
 1
 1
 
 1


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Tayside
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Total
 0
 0
 3
 3
 2
 3

Health

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25112 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 July 2009, how many referrals there have been to the adult scoliosis service at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh since June 2009, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Table 1: Patients aged 17 years and over referred to the scoliosis service April to September 2009:

  

 Referrals Over 17 Years
 April
 May
 June
 July
 August
 September


 Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Borders
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fife
 
 
 1
 1
 
 


 Forth Valley
 
 
 1
 
 
 2


 Grampian
 
 1
 
 1
 
 


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 
 
 1
 1 
 1
 4


 Highlands
 
 2
 1
 1
 
 


 Lanarkshire
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Lothian
 3
 5
 4
 1
 1
 4


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Tayside
 
 
 2
 
 1
 


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Total
 3
 8
 10
 5
 3
 12



  The criteria for the adult scoliosis service were clarified in July 2009 when the decision was taken to set the transition point between the paediatric and adult services at age 17. The figures supplied for S3W-25112 were provided before this decision was taken and included seven patients who were aged 16 years. For clarity, the table includes the number of patients aged 17 years and over who were referred during the period April to September.

Health

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what waiting time guarantee is given to patients for an initial appointment and for treatment, following a referral to the adult scoliosis service at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon: The adult scoliosis service in NHS Lothian is covered by our waiting time targets. The current waiting time standards for both outpatient consultation following referral from a general practitioner and for inpatient and day case treatment is 15 weeks and these will reduce to 12 weeks from 31 March 2010. The 12 week outpatient waiting time will also be extended at that time to include referrals not only from general practitioners but also other sources such as consultant-to-consultant referrals. It should however be recognised that due to the case complexity of these scoliosis cases and the high standard of clinical care required, it may not always be possible to deliver the waiting time standards as it is not possible to offer the treatment elsewhere within the United Kingdom within a shorter wait. I have been given an assurance that every effort is being made by NHS Lothian to reduce waiting times for this service and all available clinical capacity is being fully utilised.

Health

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions between it and the Scottish Post Polio Network regarding Scottish Parliament petition PE873.

Nicola Sturgeon: Since the submission of Petition PE873 in 2007, considerable progress has been made. Scottish Government officials met representatives of the Scottish Post Polio Network (SPPN) in August 2007 to discuss how to improve service for people living with PPS in Scotland. As a result of these discussions, in early 2009 the Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (SMASAC) agreed to set up a working group, with a remit to consider issues around the definition of the condition, the collection of robust data on its prevalence in Scotland and the development of best practice guidelines. This work is now well under way, and the working group is due to present its recommendations to SMASAC in spring 2010.

  To promote awareness of the management of the condition, the Scottish Government Health Directorates have, on behalf of SPPN, issued a copy of guidance on The Late Effects of Polio produced by Queensland Health, Australia, to clinicians across NHSScotland who had indicated an interest in the subject.

  Recognising also that awareness-raising should be extended to polio survivors in the community who may benefit from a better understanding of PPS and the treatment options available, the Scottish Government funded a national media campaign featuring case studies of polio survivors which ran in national and local press through September and October 2009. This has been extremely successful in promoting contact with the SPPN and thereby directing polio survivors to sources of help, advice and medical opinion/treatment. The working group will also be able to draw on a wider range of patient experience in producing its report.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of patients regaining consciousness during surgery have been recorded over the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been returned to it by NHS boards since 2008 in respect of the Healthy Living Centre Transition Fund, broken down by (a) amount, (b) NHS board and (c) date of payment.

Nicola Sturgeon: To date £70,000 of the Healthy Living Centre transition fund has been returned to the Scottish Government. This was returned from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde due to the closure of the Chinese Healthy Living Centre during 2009-10. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde notified the Scottish Government of this refund in October 2009.

Health

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Vioxx drug produced by American firm Merck is on the list of approved medicines in Scotland; when it was approved, and, if it is no longer on the list, when it was withdrawn.

Shona Robison: Vioxx (rofecoxib) was licensed in the UK in 1999. In September 2004, it was voluntarily withdrawn from the worldwide market by the manufacturer Merck & Co, Inc due to the emergence of clinical data indicating an increased risk of thrombotic events, particularly heart attack and stroke.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further consideration has been given to the provision of temperature-controlled, sensor-operated, flow-regulated taps in hospital wards and departments.

Nicola Sturgeon: The benefits and drawbacks of sensor operated taps are discussed at the Scottish Engineering Technology Advisory Group which comprises the most senior engineers in NHSScotland. NHS boards are empowered to decide on a risk assessment basis where these devices should be used using Health Facilities Scotland guidance for support.

  The NHSScotland HAI Task Force holds the view that although such automatic taps may have their place, they are not appropriate to all health care settings and that elbow/wrist-operated taps are more appropriate for clinical areas.

  The HAI Task Force has recommended that further consideration be given to this matter once an audit of facilities across NHSScotland has been carried out. This audit is dependent on the implementation of an Estates Monitoring System due in April 2010.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken by Health Facilities Scotland to undertake an audit of facilities for storing excess soiled bedding and clothing.

Nicola Sturgeon: An evaluation of storage facilities will be undertaken by NHS boards as part of the Estates Monitoring Tool developed by Health Facilities Scotland. Testing of the tool will begin in January 2010 and monitoring will go live from April 2010.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on examining whether there is a case for establishing a norovirus reference laboratory.

Nicola Sturgeon: The HAI Task Force considered a paper on the establishment of a norovirus reference laboratory in Scotland at its last quarterly meeting held on 30 September 2009. In light of comments made by task force members, a revised paper will be presented at the next meeting of the HAI Task Force on 8 December 2009.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have established dedicated isolation units in hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: The census of single room provision undertaken by Information Services Division of National Services Scotland in November-December 2006 did not gather these data. However, the NHS in Scotland has just procured an Asset Management system which will be rolled out to all health boards and will include such information in future.

  In addition I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23325, on 11 May, 2009 for some information on isolation facilities. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available at the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has taken place of how health boards are implementing the requirements of Prudent Antimicrobial Prescribing: The Scottish Action Plan For Managing Antibiotic Resistance And Reducing Antibiotic Related Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease .

Nicola Sturgeon: Antimicrobial teams in NHS boards are responsible for monitoring the development, implementation and compliance monitoring of antimicrobial policy in their area. The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group regularly liaise with each NHS board’s Antimicrobial Pharmacist to ensure local prescribing policies are current and fit for purpose.

Heritage

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide support to New Lanark Conservation Trust in 2010-11.

Michael Russell: Historic Scotland has recently agreed to increase support for the continuing repair and maintenance of properties within New Lanark, by 50% to £150,000 per annum from 2010-11.

  In addition we have agreed to support the work of a New Lanark Education Officer, who as well as being tasked with activities focussing on the New Lanark Village, will also deal with wider World Heritage Issues.

Home Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have received home care in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of home care clients and the hours of service provided by each local authority from 2005 to 2008 can be found at table 1 of the Home Care Services, Scotland, 2008 publication:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/11/25082031/0.

  Annex 1 of the 2006 publication contains figures for 2004:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/11/24134412/0.

Housing

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend the legislation relating to residential park and mobile homes.

Alex Neil: In its announcement of 7 October 2009 the Scottish Government indicated that future work included consultation with stakeholders on minimum standards for residential mobile home sites, improved protections for owners of residential mobile homes through strengthened written agreements with site owners, and powers for councils to allow them to enforce minimum standards. The detailed proposals will be decided in the light of that consultation. We expect those proposals to be implemented through the use of powers for ministers to alter the implied terms of agreements for the use of stances on mobile home sites and through amendment of the Mobile Homes Act 1983 or other relevant legislation.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what grant funding for housing development in North Ayrshire will be available in 2010-11 and how this figure compares with 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) budget allocation for North Ayrshire for 2010-11 has not been decided. The AHIP budget for North Ayrshire for 2009-10 was £7.681 Housing.

  2009-10 planned expenditure was published on:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ahip/ahip-2009-10/.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it is unable to commit to progressing housing development projects proposed by ANCHO in June 2009.

Alex Neil: The North Ayrshire allocation of funding from the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) for 2010-11 is not yet decided. There is already a significant commitment from the budget to re-generate the Vineburgh area in Irvine, which is close to the location of the ANCHO proposal. Decisions on further projects for inclusion in the North Ayrshire AHIP will be taken in line with the local authority’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan priorities, once the level of funding allocated to the area is known.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to restore the funding required for housing development projects proposed by ANCHO in June 2009.

Alex Neil: While the level of funding available for the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) in North Ayrshire remains uncertain, it is not possible to commit funding to additional projects. Future programme priorities will be determined in line with the Strategic Housing Investment Plan for which North Ayrshire Council has the lead responsibility.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it anticipates that grant funding levels for housing development projects will be reduced in North Ayrshire, as advised to ANCHO in July 2009.

Alex Neil: We anticipate that the North Ayrshire allocation will be affected by the overall reduction in the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) as published in the draft 2010-11 Budget on 17 September. This showed a reduction of £173 million in the AHIP budget between 2009-10 and 2010-11 because of capital having been brought forward over the period 2008-10 to accelerate spending as part of the Economic Recovery Programme.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates that grant funding levels for housing development projects for all housing associations will be reduced in 2010-11.

Alex Neil: The draft 2010-11 Budget published on 17 September showed the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) budget for 2010-11 as £471 million. This is £120 million less for 2010-11 than originally planned at the start of the spending review period, simply as a result of the acceleration of £120 million of the budget from 2010-11 into 2008-09 (£40 million) and 2009-10 (£80 million). The total funding for the current spending review (2007-09 to 2010-11) is planned to remain at £1.65 billion, as originally announced.

  The allocation of the programme at local authority and housing association level for 2010-11 has not been decided, therefore we cannot say how grant funding for all individual housing associations will compare with 2009-10 planned funding levels.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget for grant funding for housing development projects was in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10 and will be in 2010-11, broken down by local authority area.

Alex Neil: The total allocated Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) budget for financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 broken down by local authority are detailed in the following table. The split of the programme for 2010-11 has not been decided.

  

 Local Authority
2007-08 Original Budget
2008-09 Original Budget
2009-10 Original Budget


 Highland
 36.325
 27.120
 32.125


 Orkney
 6.000
 5.033
 7.904


 Shetland
 3.800
 2.640
 3.800


 Western Isles
 6.500
 4.130
 6.675


 Aberdeenshire
 16.508
 19.637
 14.708


 City of Aberdeen
 6.767
 3.922
 6.767


 Moray
 9.525
 6.372
 12.525


 Angus
 5.714
 3.890
 4.798


 City of Dundee
 12.250
 7.766
 10.000


 Perth and Kinross
 15.270
 10.886
 15.500


 Clackmannanshire
 3.500
 2.150
 4.800


 Falkirk
 7.366
 3.866
 8.000


 Stirling
 10.724
 3.476
 7.300


 East Lothian
 5.600
 4.400
 7.900


 Fife
 21.545
 13.133
 16.945


 Midlothian
 4.580
 3.400
 5.200


 The Scottish Borders
 7.200
 5.600
 7.200


 West Lothian
 10.220
 6.600
 10.000


 City of Edinburgh
 36.100
 36.100
 41.500


 Saughton
 0.000
 0.000
 8.000


 Dumfries and Galloway
 12.767
 9.700
 14.267


 East Ayrshire
 11.533
 7.000
 8.933


 North Ayrshire
 10.281
 6.640
 7.681


 North Lanarkshire
 23.961
 14.600
 17.661


 South Ayrshire
 6.674
 6.300
 6.683


 South Lanarkshire
 19.284
 15.300
 17.934


 Argyll and Bute
 17.675
 14.757
 24.675


 West Dunbartonshire
 10.350
 7.835
 10.350


 East Dunbartonshire
 5.800
 5.386
 7.950


 Inverclyde
 23.565
 19.280
 34.500


 Renfrewshire
 17.096
 12.510
 14.600


 East Renfrewshire
 4.775
 3.271
 5.425


 Glasgow
 83.000
 83.000
 83.000


 GHA
 68.400
 79.300
 77.700


 Other Programmes
 3.836
 4.000
 1.000


 LIFT: Shared Equity Open Market Pilot
 30.000
 24.000
 60.000


 Mortgage to Rent
 10.000
 10.000
 20.000


 Total
 584.491
 493.000
 644.006



  Outturn expenditure in 2008-09:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/AHIP0809Report,

  2009-10 planned expenditure:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/investment/ahip/ahip-2009-10/.

Housing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the building of new affordable housing in Berwickshire.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government Housing Investment Division, as the grant provider, and Scottish Borders Council, as the strategic housing authority, jointly consider the priorities for affordable housing funding across the whole of the Scottish Borders including Berwickshire.

  The priorities for the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) take their steer from the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan and Local Housing Strategy. Consideration is also given to the expected committed carry forward of funding together with geographic and tenure priorities across the whole Scottish Borders Council area.

  In total, the Scottish Government has supported the building of new affordable housing in Berwickshire to the tune of £7.43 million over the last five financial years with £32.65 million provided to the whole of the Scottish Borders over the same period. In addition, for this financial year (2009-10) we estimate a further £1 million will be spent in the Berwickshire area.

Housing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives from Berwickshire Housing Association to discuss the supply of affordable housing in Berwickshire.

Alex Neil: Officials of the Scottish Government have met with representatives from Berwickshire Housing Association to discuss the supply of affordable housing in Berwickshire on two occasions in the last two months. On 4 September, the Housing Investment Division - East Region Manager met with the Chief Executive of Berwickshire Housing Association to discuss a range of strategic housing issues. More recently, on 7 October, an Affordable Housing Investment Programme meeting was held where discussion took place on individual projects.

Housing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of how many people are on the waiting list for social housing in Berwickshire.

Alex Neil: Scottish Borders Council has advised that there is no single waiting list figure for Berwickshire. There are a number of individual RSLs operating in the area, all with their own housing lists and allocation policies. These RSL housing lists, however, do not operate in terms of ‘waiting’ time but rather operate on the basis of housing need, therefore there is no "waiting list" as such.

  Berwickshire Housing Association is the biggest RSL operating in the area, and it participates in the Borders Choice Homes Common Housing Register, a Choice Based Lettings approach. Applicants do not apply for housing in the traditional way. Applicants instead complete a single application form to register with the participating RSLs and can then bid for any property being offered for rent by any of these RSLs. It is therefore not possible to determine how many people are looking for affordable housing in the Berwickshire area via waiting list data.

Housing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new units of social housing were built in Berwickshire in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006, (d) 2007 and (e) 2008.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government Housing Investment Division, as the grant provider, and Scottish Borders Council, as the strategic housing authority, jointly consider the priorities for affordable housing funding across the whole of the Scottish Borders including Berwickshire. The priorities for the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) take their steer from the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan and Local Housing Strategy. Consideration is also given to the expected committed carry forward of funding together with geographic and tenure priorities across the whole Scottish Borders Council area.

  The following table gives details of how many new units for affordable rent and low cost home ownership were completed in Berwickshire and the Scottish Borders. This data is provided in a financial year format reflecting how the data is recorded.

  

 
 Berwickshire Only
 All Scottish Borders


 Financial Year
 Affordable Rent
 Low Cost Home Ownership
 Affordable Rent
 Low Cost Home Ownership


 2004-05
 6
 0
 79
 3


 2005-06
 20
 0
 54
 1


 2006-07
 14
 7
 52
 8


 2007-08
 36
 1
 75
 8


 2008-09
 18
 8
 69
 26

Housing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new units of social housing are planned to be built in Berwickshire in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government Housing Investment Division, as the grant provider, and Scottish Borders Council, as the strategic housing authority, jointly consider the use of affordable housing funding across the whole of the Scottish Borders including Berwickshire. The priorities for the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) take their steer from the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan and Local Housing Strategy. Consideration is also given to the expected committed carry forward of funding together with geographic and tenure priorities across the whole Scottish Borders Council area.

  The following table gives details of how many new units for affordable rent and low cost home ownership are, at this time, estimated to be completed in Berwickshire and the Scottish Borders. This data is provided in a financial year format reflecting how the data is recorded.

  

 
 Berwickshire only
 All Scottish Borders


 Financial Year
 Affordable Rent
 Low Cost Home Ownership
 Affordable Rent
 Low Cost Home Ownership


 2009-10
 0
 0
 21
 4


 2010-11
 12
 0
 164
 14

Influenza

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of influenza A (H1N1) infection trends in Scotland and the experiences of countries throughout the world, how many patients it forecasts will require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment and how many ECMO machines it will require access to in order to cope with this demand.

Nicola Sturgeon: Forecasting the number of patients who may require ECMO in the future with any degree of certainty is difficult.

  A recent study on the experience of H1N1 in Australia and New Zealand during their winter months indicated that 68 patients with severe influenza-related acute respiratory distress syndrome were treated with ECMO; representing an incidence of 2.6 ECMO patients per million of the population. However, caution needs to be applied in extrapolating this data for Scotland as the circumstances are different.

  Modelling work is being commissioned at a UK level to assess the likely adult ECMO requirement in light of the current influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. The outcomes of this modelling work will be considered by the UK Critical Care Clinical Group.

Justice

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is assessed that work done on a work placement as part of a community service order is not depriving others of paid employment, as set out in paragraph 13 of chapter 3 of National Objectives for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System: Standards - Community Service .

Kenny MacAskill: Guidance on Community Service, which has replaced the National Standards for Community Service from 1 June 2009, maintains the requirement that community service work placements "should not be used in situations which are likely to deprive others of the opportunity for paid employment". It is for each community service scheme, in each local authority, to ensure that this requirement is met, based on the service managers’ assessment and taking into account the local circumstances and needs in each case.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to figures for charges proved for handling an offensive weapon in Tables 6(a) and 6(b) of Criminal Proceedings In Scottish Courts, 2007/08, how many relate to (a) males and (b) females aged under 16.

Fergus Ewing: There were six males aged under 16 and no females aged under 16 with a charge proved for handling an offensive weapon in 2007-08.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of handling an offensive weapon in each of the last 10 years were aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 21, (c) 21 to 30 and (d) over 30 at the time of the offence.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Convicted of Handling an Offensive Weapon1 by Age, 1998-99 and 2007-08

  

 Age2
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Under 16
 1
 1
 0
 3
 5
 5
 4
 5
 4
 6


 16-21 
 813
 903
 989
 1,116
 1,054
 1,028
 1,228
 1,369
 1,334
 1,161


 21-30 
 765
 749
 845
 940
 1,060
 1,094
 1,304
 1,234
 1,254
 1,299


 Over 30 
 454
 465
 506
 574
 652
 748
 911
 892
 958
 952


 Total
 2,033
 2,118
 2,340
 2,633
 2,771
 2,875
 3,447
 3,500
 3,550
 3,418



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Age at date of sentence.

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the opening in Glasgow of the new mental health inpatient unit for adolescents, what increase there will be in staffing, particularly for consultant and junior doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, social workers and teachers.

Shona Robison: The new unit provides a range of dedicated services for young people aged 12 to 18 years, from across the West of Scotland, who have serious mental health problems. Staffing issues are therefore a matter for the West of Scotland NHS Boards (Ayrshire and Arran, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire) who are responsible jointly for delivering a service for patients in their areas.

  We are working closely with all NHS boards to increase the specialist CAMHS workforce to deliver a service which meets all our expectations and takes account of the changing needs and increasing demand for role flexibility to support appropriate care models. CAMHS workforce planning is now firmly embedded in NHS board’s workforce plans.

  To support this, we are making an additional £6.5 million available to NHS boards over the next three years to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist CAMHS as well as an additional £2 million on a recurring basis to accelerate the development of specialist child and adolescent mental health community services.

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds for children and adolescents with mental health problems will be available with the opening in Glasgow of the new mental health inpatient unit for adolescents; how many further beds are planned; where such further beds will be located, what additional staff are planned to meet any increase in beds, and when any additional beds will be operational.

Shona Robison: For children, there are currently nine beds provided on a national basis at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill).

  For young people, the recently opened inpatient unit in the West of Scotland with  24 beds brings the total number of beds in Scotland to 42. There are also currently 12 beds in Edinburgh in the South East of Scotland, and six in Dundee in the North of Scotland, with consideration being given to increasing this to 12.

  The potential figure of 48 beds, though less than previously announced, reflects the significant additional investment in intensive community services intended to reduce the need for admission to inpatient care. To support this, we have made £2 million available to NHS boards on a recurring basis to accelerate the development of specialist child and adolescent mental health community services.

  We are working closely with all NHS boards to increase the specialist CAMHS workforce to deliver a service which meets all our expectations and takes account of the changing needs and increasing demand for role flexibility to support appropriate care models. CAMHS workforce planning is now firmly embedded in NHS board’s workforce plans.

  To support this increase, we are making an additional £6.5 million available to NHS boards over the next three years to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist CAMHS.

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds for forensic psychiatry adolescent patients there are; how many additional beds are planned, and when it plans to have them operational.

Shona Robison: There are no beds in Scotland specifically dedicated for forensic psychiatric adolescent patients and none are planned at present given the small numbers of such patients. For the last 12 years NHS National Services Scotland, National Services Division has instead commissioned the secure forensic service for young people, resident in Scotland, from the National Commissioning Group and this service is provided on a UK wide basis. The Scottish Government continues to monitor the demand for forensic psychiatric adolescent inpatient services and whether that demand is sufficient to justify creating a service in Scotland.

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adolescent patients with mental health problems requiring specialist inpatient forensic beds were referred to facilities outwith Scotland in each of the last four years.

Shona Robison: Current figures for 2009-10 show four referrals and two admissions. Figures for the last four years are detailed in the following table.

  

 Year
 Referrals
 Admissions


 2005-06
 1
 1


 2006-07
 2
 2


 2007-08
 2
 1


 2008-09
 5
 2

Mental Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds there are for children and adolescents with both learning difficulties and mental health problems; how many additional beds are planned, and when it plans to make them operational.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27756 on 1 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Museums

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to industrial museums in 2010-11.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government funds non-national museums, including industrial museums, through Museums Galleries Scotland. The indicative grant, subject to the Budget Bill process, for Museums Galleries Scotland for 2010-11 is £3.628 million, which includes £550,000 in capital funding for the Scottish Mining Museum and £600,000 in ring-fenced revenue funding for the Scottish Maritime, Mining and Fisheries Museums.

  The total funding for industrial museums in 2010-11 will ultimately depend on the bids which those museums make for grant funding from Museums Galleries Scotland under their various grant schemes.

  The Museums Task Force which I recently set up is considering a range of issues facing the sector and the future of the industrial museums is one of these. The Task Force will report in 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many single rooms have been created for NHS patients due to hospital refurbishment since May 2007, broken down by NHS board.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many single rooms were created in hospitals as part of refurbishment and improvement programmes in 2007 and 2008 and have been created in 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the work undertaken by a Steering Group considering single room provision in NHS Scotland, Information Services Division of National Services Scotland undertook a census of the number of single rooms in Scottish Hospitals during November-December 2006. The census has not been repeated since then and so the information requested is not available. However the NHS in Scotland has just procured an Asset Management System which will be implemented by all health boards and will include such information in future.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase single room accommodation in hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has committed £1.676 billion to capital investment over three years and is developing a performance management regime for NHSScotland, which includes the condition of the Estate. An Asset Management System to support this has been procured and will be implemented by NHS boards.

  In November 2008 I announced that, with immediate effect, all new build hospital projects should provide 100% provision of single room accommodation; and that there should be a move to a minimum of 50% provision in future refurbishment projects. Through the business case approval process SGHD Capital Investment Group are assessing compliance in such schemes.

  In addition, hospitals are required to allocate patients to clinically appropriate environments based on their needs. Some have dedicated units for infectious diseases and others use single rooms within ward areas for isolation, when required.

  NHS boards’ Infection Control manuals also provide guidance for healthcare workers on caring for patients with infections across a variety of settings, such as single rooms, cohort nursing and open wards.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase the availability of isolation facilities in hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23325 on 11 May 2009 for some information on isolation facilities. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  In September 2008 Guidance on the provision of Isolation Facilities in Acute Settings was provided for the NHS by Health Facilities Scotland (Scottish Health Planning Note 04: Supplement 1). This guidance explains the context of the need for such facilities and how single rooms with en-suite facilities can be used and enhanced.

  The Scottish Government has committed £1.676 billion to capital investment over three years and is developing a performance management regime for NHSScotland, which includes the condition of the estate. An Asset Management System to support this has been procured and will be implemented by all NHS boards.

  Through the business case approval process SGHD Capital Investment Group are assessing proposals for increased levels of single room provision in line with Scottish Government policy.

  In addition, hospitals are required to allocate patients to clinically appropriate environments based on their needs. Some have dedicated units for infectious diseases and others use single rooms within ward areas for isolation, when required.

  NHS boards’ Infection Control manuals also provide guidance for healthcare workers on caring for patients with infections across a variety of settings, such as single rooms, cohort nursing and open wards.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of beds in acute hospitals is in single rooms, broken down by health board.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the work undertaken by a Steering Group considering single room provision in NHS Scotland Information Services Division of National Services Scotland undertook a census of the number of single rooms in Scottish Hospitals during November-December 2006 A summary of provision by NHS board was contained within the Report of the Steering Group which can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/04160144/0 .

  The census did provide information on a hospital basis. There is not however a classification "Acute Hospital" but there is a category called "General Hospitals (mainly acute)". The Hospitals covered by the census within that category are provided below on a Health Board basis. A table of the classifications within the category as used by Information Services Division (ISD) within National Services Scotland (NSS) has also been provided below. The Census was conducted by ISD.

  

 NHS Board
 Hospital
 %
 Class


 Ayrshire and Arran
 Crosshouse Hospital
 30
 A2


 Ayr Hospital
 23
 A2


 Lady Margaret Hospital
 7
 A5


 Davidson Cottage Hospital
 19
 A5


 Borders
 Borders General Hospital
 27
 A2


 Hawick Community Hospital
 50
 A5


 Dumfries and Galloway
 Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
 25
 A2


 Kirkcudbright Hospital
 14
 A5


 Fife
 Victoria Hospital
 24
 A2


 Queen Margaret Hospital
 23
 A2


 St Andrews Memorial Hospital
 15
 A5


 Forth Valley
 Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary
 43
 A2


 Stirling Royal Infirmary
 20
 A2


 Grampian
 Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
 17
 A1


 Dr Gray’s Hospital
 44
 A3


 Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
 69
 A4


 Insch and District War Memorial Hospital
 43
 A5


 Peterhead Community Hospital
 20
 A5


 Seafield Hospital
 28
 A5


 Stephen Cottage Hospital
 48
 A5


 Turner Memorial Hospital
 29
 A5


 Leanchoil Hospital
 30
 A5


 Fleming Cottage Hospital
 46
 A5


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 Glasgow Royal Infirmary
 30
 A1


 Western Infirmary/Gartnavel General
 10
 A1


 Inverclyde Royal Hospital
 20
 A2


 Royal Alexandra Hospital
 22
 A2


 Stobhill Hospital
 18
 A2


 Victoria Infirmary
 9
 A2


 Southern General Hospital
 12
 A2


 Vale of Leven General Hospital
 16
 A3


 Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Glasgow)
 49
 A4


 Highland
 Raigmore Hospital
 20
 A2


 Lorn and Islands District Gen Hospital
 24
 A3


 Caithness General Hospital
 30
 A3


 Belford Hospital
 26
 A3


 Islay Hospital
 32
 A5


 Victoria Hospital
 26
 A5


 Dunbar Hospital
 13
 A5


 Portree Hospital
 50
 A5


 Ross Memorial Hospital
 10
 A5


 Lanarkshire
 Monklands District General Hospital
 26
 A2


 Hairmyres Hospital
 20
 A2


 Wishaw General Hospital
 29
 A2


 Victoria Memorial Cottage Hospital
 6
 A5


 Kello Hospital
 14
 A5


 Lady Home Cottage Hospital
 5
 A5


 Lockhart Hospital
 7
 A5


 Lothian
 Western General Hospital
 26
 A1


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France
 18
 A1


 St John’s Hospital At Howden
 31
 A2


 Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Edinburgh)
 43
 A4


 Edington Cottage Hospital
 100
 A5


 Orkney
 Balfour Hospital
 25
 A3


 Shetland
 Gilbert Bain Hospital
 23
 A3


 Tayside
 Ninewells Hospital
 26
 A1


 Perth Royal Infirmary
 12
 A2


 Arbroath Infirmary
 13
 A3


 Stracathro Hospital
 16
 A3


 St Margaret’s Hospital
 19
 A5


 Crieff Community Hospital
 21
 A5


 Western Isles
 Western Isles Hospital
 20
 A3



  Source: NHS: National Services Scotland: Information Statistics Division, Census from November-December 2006.

  Hospital Classification

  

Main Category
Sub Category
 Title


 A
 
 General Hospitals (mainly acute)


 
 1
 Teaching hospitals - major teaching hospitals covering a full range of services and with special units.


 
 2
 Large general hospitals - general hospitals with some teaching units, usually over 250 average staffed beds.


 
 3
 General hospitals - mixed specialist hospitals (may have maternity units). Consultant type surgery undertaken, usually 250 and under average staffed beds. 


 
 4
 Sick children’s hospitals - large teaching hospitals for children covering a range of medicine and surgery.


 
 5
 Community hospitals - general practitioner hospitals (may have maternity unit) and visiting consultant clinics but no surgery.

NHS Staff

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian regarding changes to its staff nurse development programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: Following the introduction of Flying Start NHS, the one year national programme for newly qualified nurses, midwives and Allied Health Professionals, Scottish Government officials have been in regular contact with NHS Grampian to ensure that Flying Start NHS was embedded into it’s two year staff nurse development programme.

  Following these discussions, and feedback from a number of stakeholders, NHS Grampian has recently reviewed its two-year staff nurse development programme and has now decided to adopt a one year programme based around the national Flying Start NHS programme.

NHS Staff

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses specialise in the provision of fracture liaison services, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Individual NHS boards are responsible for planning services in their area and for securing the staff to deliver them. It is for NHS boards to determine their workforce requirements, based on the clinical needs and service developments in their area. However, they are asked to consider the role of nurses with a broader remit working in the community, as part of their plans to make sure that services meet the needs of people living with long-term conditions.

NHS Waiting Times

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional capacity to help reduce waiting times will be created when the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre is taken into full NHS control.

Nicola Sturgeon: The government is committed to increasing capacity in the NHS and treating patients as quickly as possible. Returning the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre to NHS control from the independent sector will help to achieve this.

  NHS Tayside, NHS Fife and NHS Grampian are currently finalising a business case for the NHS-run Scottish Regional Treatment Centre which we expect to start operating in January 2010. The business case will explore future activity and capacity requirements. The boards aim to submit it to me before the end of November.

National Health Service

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the development of an estates monitoring system in conjunction with NHS Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Estates Monitoring Tool will be rolled out to all NHS boards between January and March 2010 and will go live from April 2010. Health Facilities Scotland has also organised training days in December 2009 for the NHS so estates professionals are fully conversant with the new tool.

Ophthalmology

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that, once optometrists have completed the independent prescribing training module, NHS boards have appropriate protocols in place to allow them to practise.

Shona Robison: Optometrists will not be undertaking prescribing as part of their general ophthalmic service arrangements. Prescribing could be undertaken under a shared care/co-management scheme but the decision on whether to put in place such a scheme rests with each NHS board.

Ophthalmology

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to digitise General Ophthalmic Services forms.

Shona Robison: A number of options are being considered to allow for the electronic submission of general ophthalmic services claim forms.

Ophthalmology

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage NHS boards to transfer retinal camera digitised recording follow-up in diabetes and glaucoma to optometrists.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Diabetic Retinopathy Screening (DRS) Programme offers retinopathy screening to all eligible people with diabetes in Scotland. Implementation of the DRS Programme is adapted to each board’s geography and population and diabetic retinopathy information is shared with optometrists in NHS Borders and NHS Highland as part of ongoing pilots. We will evaluate the pilots to determine whether this model meets the needs of the local diabetes populations.

  There are already examples of shifting the balance of care from the hospitals to community optometrists in some parts of Scotland. In NHS Fife, collaboration between hospital ophthalmologists and community optometrists has enabled the transfer of images between optometry and ophthalmology.

Organ Donation

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward legislation to introduce the principle of presumed consent for organ donation.

Nicola Sturgeon: As members know, I personally am sympathetic to a move to a system of opting out, as I’d prefer to call it.

  We debated this issue on 18 December last year. The motion agreed by the Parliament was that we accept the UK Organ Donation Taskforce recommendation that the time wasn’t right to make such a change. The motion says we’ll look at this again in five years, but I made clear in the debate that we could re-visit the issue sooner if we felt there wasn’t enough progress.

  There are signs that we’re starting to cover what I’ve called the "hard miles" towards making organ donation usual in NHSScotland. I announced last month that the donor figures for 2008-09 were the highest for 10 years. So I’m prepared to give it a bit longer before we decide whether to re-open this issue.

Police

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the policing costs of the forthcoming meeting of the G20 finance ministers in St Andrews and what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government about meeting these costs.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is working closely with relevant police and other public authorities to ensure there is adequate preparation for the event. Information on policing costs is not routinely released ahead of an event such as this because of the potential security implications in doing so.

  Given the nature of the event and the terms of the Statement of Funding Policy between HM Treasury and the devolved administrations, we would expect the UK Government to meet the associated costs and we have sought their confirmation that this will be the case.

Police

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans additional funds to assist Strathclyde Police Authority with the costs associated with policing the high volume of marches and parades in its area.

Kenny MacAskill: There are no plans to provide additional funds to Strathclyde Police Authority to police marches and parades. Strathclyde Police Authority received record funding for financial year 2009-10, receiving £268,289,000 in police grant.

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders at HMP Edinburgh were (a) assessed as suitable for and (b) completed each of the prisoner programmes and approved activities that address substance misuse in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  

 Drug Action for Change
 Assessed as suitable
 Completed


 2006-07
 37
 29


 2007-08
 41
 41


 2008-09
 36
 10



  

 Alcohol Awareness
 Assessed as suitable
 Completed


 2006-07
 48
 36


 2007-08
 50
 47


 2008-09
 39
 18



  

 Substance Related Offending Behaviour Programme
 Assessed as suitable
 Completed


 2008-09
 16
 8

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to run and how many prisoners took part in the Alcohol Awareness Programme at HMP Edinburgh in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The cost for delivering the Approved Activity "Alcohol Awareness Programme" is not separately available. It is contained within the general programme costs.

  The following table details the number of completions for the Approved Activity Alcohol Awareness in HMP Edinburgh in the last three years. HMP Edinburgh also introduced the Substance Related Offending Behaviour Programme (SROBP) in 2008-09 with 10 completions recorded that year.

  

 Year
Alcohol Awareness Completions
 SROBP Completions


 2006-07
 36
 0


 2007-08
 47
 0


 2008-09
 18
 10



  Prisoners with drugs and/or alcohol related issues can be assessed as suitable for participation on the SROBP which consists of around 120 hours of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy whereas Alcohol Awareness is a 22 hour awareness Approved Activity.

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many human rights cases are pending against the Scottish Prison Service from prisoners at HMP Edinburgh, broken down by type of claim.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available. However, SPS records show that there are 385 live claims relating to slopping out at HMP Edinburgh. There are also two claims relating to segregation which also include periods held in HMP Edinburgh.

Rural Development

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the amount generated for the local economy by the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park in each year since its designation.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the amount generated for the local economy by the Pentland Hills Regional Park in each year since its designation.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the amount generated for the local economy by the Lomond Hills Regional Park in each year since its designation.

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the amount generated for the local economy by the Loch Lomond Regional Park in each year since its designation.

Roseanna Cunningham: Management of regional parks is a matter for the relevant local authorities.

  Reports commissioned by VisitScotland since 2002 indicate visitor numbers (expressed as tourist days) and the estimated local economic contribution from these visits for the Clyde Muirshiels Regional Park which was formally designated in 1990, as follows:

  

 Year
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007
 2008


 No. "tourist days" (thousands)
 1,626
 1,691.2
 1,750.6
 1,312.6
 1,210.2
 1,228.4
 1,221.3


 Estimated contribution to local economy (£ million)
 76.7
 80.16
 84.19
 65.0
 61.4
 65.08
 67.5



  Both the Pentland Hills and Fife (Lomond Hills) Regional Parks were formally designated in 1986. I am not aware of any data on the local economic contribution attributable to these Parks, or for the Loch Lomond Regional Park (designated in 1988), the management of which has been taken over by the National Park Authority as part of the larger Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.

Rural Development

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is taking steps to ensure the continuation of publicly funded countryside ranger services and, if so, what steps.

Roseanna Cunningham: Local authorities are responsible for determining local priorities in the use of their resources including the level of funding allocated to countryside ranger services within their area. Scottish Natural Heritage and Local Access Forums are able to able provide input and advice to assist Community Planning Partnerships in development of the relevant components of their Single Outcome Agreements.

Schools

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which three primary schools in Renfrewshire had a roll less than 50% of capacity in 2008-09, as stated in table 7.1 of the School Estate Statistics 2009 .

Keith Brown: The three primary schools in Renfrewshire which had a roll less than 50% of capacity in 2008-09, as stated in table 7.1 of the School Estate Statistics 2009 are:

  Mossvale Primary School;

  South Primary School, and

  St John Bosco Primary School.

Schools

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which primary schools in the Lothians region have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available, broken down by local authority area.

Keith Brown: In School Estate Statistics 2009 , capacity information was available for 223 of the 225 primary schools in the Lothians region. Of the 223 primary schools, 15 (7%) were operating at 100 per cent or more capacity. Broken down by local authority, these are:

  

 East Lothian
 No primary schools operating at 100 per cent or more capacity


 Edinburgh, City of
 Corstorphine Primary School


 Midlothian
 Sacred Heart Primary School


 West Lothian
Bankton Primary School Balbardie Primary School Bellsquarry Primary School Carmondean Primary School Kirknewton Primary School Linlithgow Bridge Primary School Linlithgow Primary School Livingston Village Primary School Low Port Primary School Meldrum Primary School Peel Primary School Seafield Primary School Williamston Primary School

Schools

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which secondary schools in the Lothians region have had occupancy rates of 101% or more in the most recent year for which information is available, broken down by local authority area.

Keith Brown: In School Estate Statistics 2009 of the 46 secondary schools in the Lothians region.

  Seven (15%) were operating at 100 per cent or more capacity. Broken down by local authority, these are:

  

 East Lothian
 No secondary schools operating at 100 per cent or more capacity


 Edinburgh, City of
Boroughmuir High School Currie Community High School Firrhill High School James Gillespie’s High School Portobello High School


 Midlothian
 No secondary schools operating at 100 per cent or more capacity


 West Lothian
St Kentigern’s Academy St Margaret’s Academy

Scottish Government

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on management consultants in each of the last five years, broken down by consultants.

John Swinney: We are examining the available information and will write to the member as soon as possible. A copy will also be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49541).

Scottish Natural Heritage

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given guidance to Scottish Natural Heritage to ensure that reductions in its budget will not result in job losses in the voluntary sector and other grant-funded bodies.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given guidance to Scottish Natural Heritage to ensure that reductions in its budget will not adversely affect the scope of environmental projects carried out by the voluntary sector.

Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage is responsible for determining best value in the allocation of its resources consistent with delivery of the objectives and priorities agreed with Scottish ministers and set out in its Corporate Plan.

Smoking

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards reducing the number of smokers in Tayside.

Shona Robison: I am pleased to report that smoking prevalence continues to fall in Tayside - from a level of 31.2% in 1999 to 21.0% in 2008. (Source: Scottish Household Survey). This sits favourably with the national average of 25.2%.

Speech and Language Therapy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is to the economy of adults with a speech, language or communication impairment.

Fiona Hyslop: Information on what the cost is to the economy of adults with a speech, language or communication impairment is not held centrally.

Speech and Language Therapy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) adult male prisoners, (b) adult female prisoners and (c) young offenders has been assessed as having (i) clinically significant communication impairment or (ii) difficulties with literacy and numeracy.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service does not assess every prisoner for communication impairment or difficulties with literacy and numeracy and therefore do not hold the information requested.

Speech and Language Therapy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is made for speech and language therapy in each prison establishment.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  A speech and language therapist is contracted from Forth Valley Health Board to work 14 hours in HMYOI Polmont. There is no provision in any other prison.

Speech and Language Therapy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on speech and language therapy has been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The expenditure on speech and language therapy in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board is shown in the following tables.

  

 NHS Board
1999-2000
£000
2000-01
  £000
2001-02
  £000
2002-03
  £000
2003-04
  £000
2004-05
  £000
2005-06
  £000
2006-07
  £000
2007-08
  £000


 Argyll and Clyde
 1,151 
 1,976 
 1,711 
 2,212 
 1,683 
 2,110 
 2,399 
 
 


 Ayrshire and Arran
 601 
 1,187 
 1,105 
 1,280 
 1,242 
 1,558 
 1,601 
 1,769 
 1,858 


 Borders
 466 
 542 
 484 
 524 
 664 
 809 
 935 
 1,279 
 1,222 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 533 
 693 
 755 
 856 
 1,086 
 472 
 862 
 653 
 662 


 Fife
 1,092 
 1,367 
 1,338 
 1,297 
 1,377 
 1,624 
 2,237 
 2,318 
 2,060 


 Forth Valley
 1,228 
 1,596 
 1,695 
 1,757 
 1,969 
 1,118 
 1,228 
 1,512 
 1,457 


 Grampian
 1,437 
 1,820 
 1,960 
 2,279 
 2,063 
 2,413 
 2,564 
 2,554 
 2,930 


 Greater Glasgow
 2,449 
 2,120 
 2,255 
 2,313 
 2,125 
 2,341 
 2,474 
 
 


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4,117 
 4,176 


 Highland (old)
 778 
 778 
 1,182 
 1,151 
 1,405 
 1,344 
 1,122 
 
 


 Highland (new)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2,178 
 2,031 


 Lanarkshire
 2,278 
 2,273 
 1,927 
 2,624 
 2,642 
 2,772 
 3,204 
 3,459 
 3,439 


 Lothian
 1,329 
 2,417 
 1,069 
 1,206 
 1,027 
 1,087 
 783 
 893 
 1,229 


 Orkney
 61 
 65 
 97 
 79 
 86 
 96 
 99 
 95 
 146 


 Shetland
 71 
 80 
 104 
 79 
 60 
 50 
 138 
 105 
 124 


 Tayside
 591 
 1,188 
 1,425 
 1,473 
 1,936 
 2,043 
 2,039 
 1,711 
 1,825 


 Western Isles
 222 
 252 
 417 
 535 
 653 
 771 
 544 
 468 
 511 


 Total
 14,287 
 18,354 
 17,524 
 19,665 
 20,018 
 20,608 
 22,229 
 23,111 
 23,670

Speech and Language Therapy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure has been on speech and language therapy by the Scottish Prison Service in each year since 1999.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The following table details the level of spend by the Scottish Prison Service for speech and language therapy services since 1999.

  

 2000-01
£8,123


 2001-02
£8,424


 2002-03
£8,727


 2003-04
£15,540


 2004-05
£20,003


 2005-06
£12,041


 2006-07
£18,676


 2007-08
£21,285


 2008-09
£20,640


 2009 - Year to date
£12,292


 Total
£145,751

Vaccinations

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason GPs are charging up to £150 for vaccinations for people who are going to Malawi and other countries on aid programmes.

Shona Robison: The arrangements for general practice in the National Health Service are set out in the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004. These provide that a general practitioner may not demand or accept a fee from a person on their patient list except in certain circumstances. These are set out in Schedule 4 to the Regulations.

  Paragraph (g) of Schedule 4 provides that in the case of any immunisation which is not available free of charge under National Health Service arrangements, and which is requested in connection with travel abroad, a general practitioner may take a fee.

  The cost of the treatment is a matter between the general practitioner and the patient.